The audio of the tenth message from the SCREWED-UP SAINTS series, “Teaching God Is Dumb” (1 Cor. 2:14-16) is now online.
Two key quotes from Gordon Fee (The First Epistle to the Corinthians, NICNT) that I was asked to post: “This paragraph has endured a most unfortunate history of application in the church. Paul’s own point has been almost totally lost in favor of an interpretation nearly 180 degrees the opposite of his intent. Almost every form of spiritual elitism, ‘deeper life’ movement, and ‘second blessing’ doctrine appeals to this text. One special brand of this elitism surfaces among some who…regularly make a ‘special revelation’ from the Spirit their final court of appeal. What is painful about so much of this is not simply the improper use of this passage, but that so often it is accompanied by a toning down of the message of the Cross.”
“Here is another sentence that, taken out of its context, has suffered much in the church. There are always some who consider themselves full of the Spirit in such a way as to be beyond discipline or the counsel of others. Such a reading of the text is an unfortunate travesty, since these people are usually among those most needing such discipline.”
Here are the small-group discussion/personal application questions:
Getting to know you: What is your dream job (regardless of required experience or
education)?
Have someone in the group read 1 Corinthians 2.14-16 out loud.
1. Talk about one thing that was useful or impacting for you in this message.
2. What did PB say that Paul means when he says that “the things of the Spirit of God” can only be “spiritually discerned” (v. 14)?
3. What did PB say that Paul means when he says that “the spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one” (v. 15)? How is this phrase commonly misinterpreted?
4. If a friend says, “God told me…,” how should we respond? What sorts of questions should we ask? Is it ever appropriate to say, “God told me…”? What about phrases like “I sense God is leading me to…” or “God has been laying it on my heart to…”?
Next Week: “The Divine Cultivation of Ridiculous People” : 1 Corinthians 3.1-9